


Letting go would free my hand

by risinggreatness



Series: Circle 'round the sun [94]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-18
Updated: 2015-02-18
Packaged: 2018-03-13 15:05:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3386240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/risinggreatness/pseuds/risinggreatness
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set Tane is the New Order’s first padawan and the first knight of a new generation (not EU compliant)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Letting go would free my hand

In a few weeks, the New Republic is at war with Mandalore.

Mama panics and staunchly refuses to let him go to the Temple. It takes all three of them – papa, Kier, and Set – to talk her down.

Quietly shushing mama, papa gives her comfort, “Rima, the war won’t leave Mandalore. And even if it does, Set will be sent home. Master Skywalker has already given us his promise.”

She shakes her head inconsolably.

“And we must let Set keep his.”

Kier signals to Set to sneak upstairs. Papa wraps his arm around mama’s shoulders as they disappear. Into his shoulder, mama whispers, “I’m so afraid, Korl.”

The door shuts and Set doesn’t overhear any more.

“Don’t worry about mama. She’ll come around. She and papa are too excited for you not to let you go.”

“What about you?”

“Me? My little brother’s showing me up, how do you think I feel?”

That’s not what Set meant, but now he feels guilty for not thinking about Kier’s feelings. Is he jealous? Is he mad he doesn’t get to go too? Set wishes he could. It would make leaving a lot less scary. Is Kier happy for him at all?

Set doesn’t know how to respond, so he doesn’t. ( _The question was rhetorical anyway._ )

“You’re going to be great Set, just like papa says about Master Unduli.”

Set doesn’t quite believe him, but nods anyway.

“I’m gonna miss you,” he says quietly.

“You’re not going to have time to miss me.” Then Kier’s voice gets steadily louder and more animated, “The Jedi are so intense, they don’t even let you go to the bathroom while you’re meditating. You just have to sit there in your own piss until you’re done.”

“You’re lying! You’re winding me up!”

Completely in earnest, “Swear on my heart!”

At that Set tackles his brother. He can’t outwit Kier, but he can pin Kier to the ground, no problem.

Wrestling makes Set feel better, like everything’s going to be normal and fine. Kier’s always going to act like he knows more than he does. Mama’s always going to worry about him and Papa’s always to be there to hold them all together.

The next day, Set boards the transport alone. Mama calms down enough to give him a tearful yet happy goodbye. Papa gives him a tight hug and reminds him to listen to everything the masters tell him.

Kier is curiously absent when Set takes off for his new home.

\----------

“Is that your charge over there?” Karrde nods his head in the direction of the freighter which just emptied its passengers.

Among the unloaded passengers is a dark, lanky kid, looking lost and completely overwhelmed. But it’s the sack slung over his shoulder which really gets to Mara.

She swallows and looks at her own – her last remaining possessions from _Wild Karrde_. It’s a big leap, leaving behind the life she was born to and finding her place with the Jedi. ( _Wasn’t she born to the Force as well?_ ) She’s clung to her place as Karrde’s lieutenant for too long. Time to finally let go.

The kid’s a lot braver than her, coming to Coruscant on his own for a world he knows even less about than she did. And at a lot younger age too.

Even recognizing their similar position, Mara wishes Luke hadn’t sent her alone to collect him. She doesn’t know how to talk to kids.

“Well, go on. It’s not like we’re waiting for you to come back.”

Not this time. Mara picks up her things and walks away without looking over her shoulder.

“Are you Set Tane?”

The kid looks around at the sound of his name. He answers like he isn’t so sure, “Yes?”

She’s going to have to be the confident one for both of them. “My name’s Mara Jade. I’m here to pick you up.”

“Master Skywalker is supposed to meet me here.”

“Luke couldn’t make it – war business – he sent me instead. I’m from the Order.” Clearly, Set’s learned not to trust strangers because he keeps his distance. It makes sense. What proof does she have, really? “You have a natural ability in the Force, Set. Use it. I’m not lying to you.”

After a moment’s consideration, Set bows his head slightly, “Sorry, Master Jade.”

There’s a painful silence.

Shit. What does she do now? Do they just go to the Temple? What do they talk about on the way there? Should she explain she’s not technically a master yet? ( _Though she likes the sound of it better than she thought she would._ )

Now that he’s assured of whom she is, Set, thankfully, picks up the slack of conversation. He has a dozen questions and a million new things to take in.

“How far away is the Temple? Are there many other padawans? When do I get to make a lightsaber? I don’t understand what the problem is with Mandalore. Are things really that bad, Master Jade?”

Mara can’t keep up.

If this is what it’s going to be like when Leia and Han’s kid reaches this age…

“Woah. Let’s keep it to one question a time and there’s no reason to be so damn formal.” Crap. She was going to watch her language in front of the kid. She’s got to pull it together. She wants to pull it together.

Set will be Luke’s padawan. From what she can gather from Ahsoka: he’ll be attached to Luke at the hip, following him, echoing his every move. Whether she likes kids or not is beyond the point; she has to get along with this boy.

Though judging by his eagerness to get his hands on a lightsaber, they’ll have plenty to share and talk about in the coming day.

“Call me Mara and we’ll go from there.”

\----------

The Temple is huge and it’s only _partially_ restored. Set doesn’t think he’ll ever be able to find his way around.

On his third day there, Set is hopelessly lost in the maze on his way to find Master Luke.

“Need a guide?” Master Ahsoka calls from behind.

He refuses to admit he’s gotten himself turned around. “No. I think I’ve got it. It’s this way to the training rooms, isn’t it?”

Master Ahsoka cocks her head, “Or it could be the way to the north wing of the Temple.”

Bashfully, Set does a double take of his surroundings.

“Come on,” she waves him toward her. Catching up with her, she reminisces, “I used to get lost here all the time. Still do – the Temple doesn’t much resemble what it was when I was your age.”

Master Ahsoka smiles at Set; a small part of him thinks she’s fibbing a tiny bit to make him feel better, but it’s working. He doesn’t feel so bad about getting lost now. If it can happen to the masters it can happen to him.

He likes that the masters are all approachable. After he realized he was the only padawan at the Temple, Set worried he would be ignored, but they’ve all kept a close eye on him while still giving him space to settle in.

Master Luke makes him feel welcome and they dive right into training. Master Leia, whenever she’s not in the senate, ( _the war is a lot worse than Set thought_ ) looks after him and makes sure he has everything he needs. Since he met her, Mara’s kept to the periphery, but she’s always around somewhere.

None of the masters will ever make him feel bad for losing his way.

“Ready to get started?”

Set joins Master Luke in the training room and the door shuts behind them.

\----------

“I’m okay, mama, really,” he’s not sure he can say it much more emphatically. “Master Leia’s letting me stay at her apartment while Master Luke and Master Ahsoka are away.”

Set glances around. His voice echoes through the room and it feels empty.

The apartment feels empty mostly because it is: Master Leia’s husband’s been gone since before Set even arrived, its other inhabitants only just recently vacated.

None of them liked the idea of him living at the Temple alone, but Set wasn’t ready to go home either ( _he’s only been training a few months_ ). Besides, he thinks Master Leia secretly likes having the extra company.

He’s grateful for the invitation, but Set squirms uncomfortably in the silence.

He deliberately tries not to look at the door to Master Luke and Mara’s room. Whenever he does his gut flips for two entirely different reasons.

One: he misses them. Almost as much as he misses Stewjon.

It’s weird how fast he came to think of them as family. Guilt wrings when he thinks about how eager he was to come and how reluctant he is to leave, though he wouldn’t mind seeing mama, papa, and Kier.

And two: it is an awkward reminder that Master Luke and Mara are _together_.

He nearly turned green with envy when he found out. He knows it’s ridiculous. He knows he’s just a kid, but his ears burn whenever Mara helps him correct his stance.

Master Leia emerges from her office, “Set? I’m nearly ready to go.”

“Alright. I’ll wrap up my call home.”

She nods and disappears into the kitchen.

“Hey mama, I have to go soon, but is Kier there?”

Forlornly, “No, I’m sorry Set.”

Set hangs his head. In the time he’s been gone, he’s only talked to Kier two or three times, and each time Kier’s acted completely disinterested. He doesn’t seem even a little bit excited for Set anymore.

“I’m sure he’ll contact you once he’s home.”

Yeah, right.

\----------

She doesn’t make a sound, but from the corner of his eye he catches Master Leia flinch and lay a protective hand over her belly.

“Is something wrong?”

She shakes her head; her grimace says otherwise. Set stops his exercises and joins her on the edge of the room.

“The baby is kicking,” she explains.

“Does it hurt?”

“No. It’s just surprising.”

A few of Set’s friends have little brothers and sisters; he remembers when they were born. The enormous fuss didn’t make any sense to him. He tries to be interested now.

“Do you know if it’s a boy or a girl?”

“Boy,” she smiles.

“Oh.”

His brain goes blank. Set really doesn’t know anything about babies. What else is he supposed to say? What would mama and papa ask? After a long pause he finally asks, “What are you going to call him?”

Some of the light in Master Leia’s smiles dims. She is not unhappy, but it’s impossible not to see her sadness too.

“Han and I decided to name him Prestor. After my father.”

Set goes quiet again, but for a different reason this time.

( _Papa never let Set stay up this late. Kier was sent to bed early for talking back to mama._

_The transceiver crackled until papa was done adjusting the dials. Then he held Set on his lap as he listened to the voice coming through._

_“– official Imperial broadcast. The Galactic Empire’s new battle space station, the Death Star, was successfully tested on the planet of Alderaan in the Imperial Core. The result: the total destruction of the planet. Alderaan, under the leadership of former Senator Bail Prestor Organa, was selected for testing operations for inciting rebellion and treason against –”_

_Visibly shaken and upset, mama aggressively switched the transceiver off. “I’ve heard enough and Set shouldn’t even be listening.”_

_Papa remained seated, sounding hollower with every word, “Turn it back on, Rima. I don’t care if it is an Imp report. Thousands are dead, they deserve our respect.”_

_Mama didn’t move. She stayed firmly rooted in place. “You can keep listening, but Set is going to bed.”_

_Papa’s jaw locked into place, but he let go of Set._

_As mama carried him out of the room, papa switched the broadcast back on._

_“– Alderaan’s final senator is scheduled for termination –”_

_The door shut behind mama, closing Set in with Kier._

_“What happened?” Kier whispered in the dark._

_Set couldn’t give him a clear answer._ )

He gulps, “I’m sorry.”

“For what, Set?” Master Leia asks gently.

“About Alderaan and your father.”

Set quickly looks down at his feet, avoiding her gaze. He’s sorry for even bringing it up if it hurts too much. Mama’s anger and papa’s solemnity didn’t make any sense to him. What did it mean for a planet to be destroyed? For the galaxy to lose so many people at once? To have personally known, served, and loved the system as a home?

Noticing his trepidation, Master Leia offers, “Would you like to feel the baby kick?”

Tentatively, Set nods and Master Leia places his hand on her stomach. Nothing happens. The curve of her belly beneath his hand is firm, but there is no thudding vibration.

Then he feels something better than Prestor’s hard kick.

Set feels the Force. He feels the tiny heartbeat and the protective shield of energy cradling the unborn baby. He feels a connection to him too.

Then he feels the baby’s kick.

He yelps in surprise and Master Leia laughs a little, “Impressive meditative technique. You must have woken him up from a short nap.”

“Is it always like that?” ( _He means the feel of the Force._ )

“Yes. I can feel his connection to the Force all the time. I asked Ahsoka if it was normal to be able to feel it so constantly, but she didn’t know because so few Jedi ever had children. Her guess is that it means Prestor will be strong in the Force and I agree.”

“That’s amazing.”

She smiles again.

Like Prestor’s kicking, Set’s struck by an idea. “Master Leia, could I train Prestor when he’s old enough?”

“I think he would like that.”

\----------

“Gently, gently,” Master Chase instructs.

Dozens of tiny pieces float before each of the padawans. Ona and Inyon speed through the process. Bant goes slower. Despite being the _first_ padawan learner, Set is somewhere in between.

But he is not worried; Master Luke told him to take his time. ( _“There’s no rush to build the tool you’ll rely on more than anything else.”_ )

The pieces come together and fall apart a number of times before Set closes his eyes and lets the Force overtake him completely.

The hum and blue light fill his senses.

He is the first to finish his lightsaber.

\----------

Iella is the first girl to turn his head after Set grows out of his embarrassing crush on Mara.

Set practically trips over his feet when Master Luke tells him their due to go on a mission with her and her master. He smirks knowingly.

The four of them take the _Daughter II_ to Falleen to investigate a derelict droid factory.

Set spends half the mission trying to gather the courage to talk to Iella and the other half trying to come up with _something_ to say. He’s so distracted he just narrowly dodges a blast from one of the turrets.

Iella stares intensely at the smoking burn mark on the wall.

That was too close for both of them.

“We should get back to Master Hortu and Master Luke,” she whispers.

They really should. They were supposed to report back if they came across anything. But after one close call Set’s finally focused.

“The shot came from up there –” he points to a broken window several stories up “– we should take a look before we turn back.”

Set takes the lead to the shot’s origin point.   The location reveals an office-type space in as just as much a state of abandonment and disarray as everywhere else. But there are traces of recent occupancy near the window.

“Looks like whoever it was, they left in a hurry.”

“Set, I don’t like this. Something feels very wrong. Let’s go back and get the masters.”

Iella’s confidence is rattled. He never realized how easily scared she is, not a common trait among Jedi. Too often they’re a group of steeled nerves.

He is of two minds: comfort her by escorting her back to Master Hortu and continue the investigation with Master Luke or keep looking a few more minutes to bring back some hard evidence.

His fingertips trace the ledge where the thinly spread dust is uneven. It didn’t take them long to find the place, someone definitely leaned their elbows on this windowsill; they couldn’t have gotten away that quickly.

Kneeling down, he rummages through the debris.

Pleading, “Please Set! Let’s go!”

It takes him a minute to feel the air around them, but suddenly Iella’s fear makes sense. They’re not alone.

For the second time, Set is almost shot. But he isn’t.

Iella deflects the energy beam away from him and out of the room. It collides with something which makes a giant bang.

The shooter drops his weapon and tackles Iella to the ground.

She struggles to get him off of her until Set lands a kick right in his stomach. The shooter keels over in pain just in time for Master Luke and Master Hortu, summoned by the commotion, to arrive. They take over from there.

Helping Iella to her feet, Set’s voice fills with concern, “Are you alright?”

“I am now. Thanks. Sorry I wasn’t more help. I’m afraid I’m not very brave.”

“What are you talking about? If it wasn’t for you, I would be dead.”

She smiles sweetly and shyly at his praise. Set’s stomach summersaults and his face burns hot. Feeling high on exhilaration, Set takes his chances ( _even though he’s skeptical about General Solo’s dating advice_ ).

Iella meets him halfway, pulling his head in closer as he wraps his arms around her waist. The collision of their mouths sets off another explosion in Set’s mind.

\----------

Watching the birds fly lazy circles in the sky becomes a regular activity for Set. He doesn’t have much interest in them, there’s just nothing else to do at home.

One of the birds breaks the formation; it dips down to the lake and makes a catch. Its sweeps across the sky and water are grander than those of the birds it left behind.

Its wings don’t match the pace of the rest of the flock when it returns.

He misses the Temple, his friends, the masters. He misses sneaking off with Iella to some secluded corner. He misses the buzz of Coruscant and the adventure of missions. He misses dinners with Master Luke and Mara. He misses looking after Pres. Okay, so maybe not the babysitting, but he does miss the little kid.

And maybe ‘miss’ is the wrong word for it too ( _he’s never away long enough to yearn for it_ ).

Set feels a disconnect between his two lives. He’s growing and changing at the Temple and with the Order. Everything on Stewjon stays the same.

He wishes things would change here too.

Which is unfair.

Mama and papa put in a lot of work to make him feel ‘at home’. It’s just hard when this is no longer his normal.

Set has about an hour with Kier before they seem to have reached their tolerance for each other – back to being ignored by his big brother. ( _Weren’t they getting closer before Master Luke told them he was meant for something more?_ )

No. That’s unfair too.

He still loves them and Stewjon will always be _home_ , but it’s weird.

\----------

An appearance by Obi-Wan reminds Luke of the bonds shared between master and padawan.

Brother is the term his father uses most frequently to describe his relationship with Obi-Wan; Ahsoka uses it too when she talks about either of them. It is rare either ghost will speak of Master Qui-Gon Jinn, but it is with the reverence of sons when they do.

Parents and children. Brothers and sisters. He wishes he could say he had better experience in the first category ( _especially now_ ).

Luke turns to look at Set, meditating peacefully.

Their age gap is more akin to father and son than to brothers. But he can’t claim that space for himself. Masters of the Old Order made an unintentional habit of filling vacated places in their padawan’s lives; master of the New Order cannot step into them if there is someone already there.

No, his relationship with Set is not akin to fatherhood.

There’s too much difference between how Luke loves and watches over Set and the love and protectiveness Luke already feels for his unborn daughter –

Oh gods, he’s going to be a father.

That fact keeps smacking him in the face and despite what Mara thinks he is not entirely ready for it. There’s plenty which gives him pause.

“Master Luke?”

Luke shakes himself awake.

“Ready to start?”

Legs uncrossed, they stand to begin their practice.

“Move your feet. You’re sticking to your spot,” after five years of training, Luke is intimately aware of Set’s poor dueling habits. Though Set’s come a long way from his early days of lightsaber training, it is not his strong suit.

Where he really excels is meditation and harnessing the Force. The latter of which was about as easy to teach as it was to learn. Yet somehow Set managed to pick it up.

Set winces at his mistake and begins circling the room.

His technique gets better as they continue. He even throws in a few surprises.

The sparring goes on and Luke’s mind wanders back to their bond. Set’s lived at the Temple and at Han and Leia’s apartment; spent nights at Luke and Mara’s too. Laughs with Ahsoka and Chewie. Plays with Pres and the girls when the rest of them are too tired.

Intentional or not, Set’s a part of their lives now – a part of their family. He simply fits. How and where isn’t important.

\----------

The kids huddle in the corner around Set. He performs levitation tricks with the Force for them.

Bee and Sam’s eyes go round.

Pres tries to disguise his awe because he’s “too big” to be impressed by little demonstrations of the Force ( _his still mouth hits the floor when one of his databooks flies out of his hands because it’s time to go to bed_ ).

Leia sighs and leans back into the crook of Han’s arm, draped lazily over the couch.

3PO clears away the dishes. Mara takes Shmi into the girls’ bedroom to quiet her after fussing throughout dinner. Luke looks as though he might pass out ( _between Shmi’s behavior and his recent mission with Set, Leia’s not surprised_ ).

“Glad the pair of you made it back in time,” Leia says for the umpteenth time. Their return was certainly cutting it close.

“Set wouldn’t hear of missing Pres’s birthday.”

Though he raises his nose at Set’s display, Pres adores his future master and spends every minute he is around trying to impress him. Set returns his affection tenfold.

He’s great with all the kids. Leia barely recognizes the little boy who had trouble asking a baby’s gender when he tickles Shmi’s tummy or holds Bee and Sam’s hands.

“Let me try!” Pres insists.

“Okay, but be careful. We don’t want it flying out the window,” Set places the ball in front of him.

A tiny gasp escapes Sam’s mouth when it rises to the ceiling.

“Great job, kiddo!” Han praises.

Pres beams.

“I think you might be ready to start your training now,” Set exaggerates good-naturedly. Then suggestively to Luke, “We could get started right away if I take the trials tomorrow.”

“Don’t push it, Set.”

\----------

It’s sad that this is the most they’ve said to each other since Set went to the Temple. And they’re shouting.

“Kier, you can’t do that!”

“And who’s going to stop me? You? With your _Jedi_ powers? Isn’t using your precious Force against the fucking code?”

Their ire continues to build.

“You lost your privilege to comment on my life when you walked out of here and stopped caring about –”

Set’s fist slams into Kier’s eye; he crashes backwards into the table.

His knuckles throb. He’s pretty sure he broke a couple fingers, but Set’s too busy storming out to care.

What does Kier know? _He’s_ the one who stopped caring. _He’s_ the one who’s been unreachable.

Set ignores his parents calling after him and launches himself into the Y-wing. He’ll apologize to them later. Right now he just needs to clear his head.

The tears start to roll down his cheeks after he’s left orbit.

\----------

What started as a few tears becomes uncontrollable sobs. Set barricades himself in his room. He doesn’t want to talk to anyone. He doesn’t want to see anyone. It would be better if they all just left him alone.

Still, the infernal knocking comes at his door.

“Set, please let me in.”

Master Luke’s plea goes unheeded. His presence remains on the other side for a long while; it says he’s here even if Set thinks he doesn’t needs him.

Consumed by his still tempering rage and the pain of his brother slipping away from him for good, Set barely notices the changing of the watch. A presence which is nearly indistinguishable from Master Luke’s takes its place, but Set finds the exchange more comforting.

A softer rapping comes at the door. Set allows Master Leia entry. She joins him on the bed and wraps an arm around his slumped shoulders.

“What happened?”

She points to his swollen and purple fingers. Set’s already forgotten that dull pain.

“Kier’s leaving home. Actually leaving – never coming back.”

He shudders at the finality. He and Kier haven’t been close for years; Master Leia knows that, Master Luke knows it too. Why does it bother him now?

“Did I fail?” he croaks.

Master Leia’s face turns from concern to worry, “What do you mean?”

“The new code – we’re supposed to hold onto our attachments. And I couldn’t even hold onto my brother. What if I’m proof the new code doesn’t work?”

“You didn’t fail, Set,” Master Leia shakes her head. “You acted very well, but it’s not always so simple. Do you still love your parents, love your brother?”

Though he doesn’t know why he loves Kier anymore, Set nods forlornly.

“Sometimes the people we love have to go their separate path.   Letting go doesn’t mean you don’t love him anymore; you can still love Kier even if he’s no longer in your life and it will leave you open for more.

“If anything, I would say your continued love of him proves the code works. I’m sure Luke and Ahsoka would agree.”

Despite Master Leia’s kind words, Set feels like a disappointment. He doesn’t exemplify what the New Order is supposed to be. He wasn’t a perfect trial run.

He’s only dimly aware of Master Leia leaving and falling into a dreamless sleep.

\----------

Whether it was still just the five of them or Jedi in the numbers of the Old Order, this was always going to be a joyous occasion.

Set takes his vows, standing before Ahsoka and Luke, as if they are shared grand masters, and their loose semblance of a council ( _most of whom were never knighted like this_ ). Though he’s used it for years now, Luke ceremoniously passes Set’s lightsaber to him.

The first padawan of the New Order becomes a Jedi knight.

His parents are the first ones to congratulate him.

Ahsoka’s eyes water, but she doesn’t cry. Her masters ( _Yoda, Plo, Obi-Wan, Anakin_ ) stand far away, barely visible. Her accolade was the day she returned to the Temple, the day the New Order was conceived.

This day is a symbol for all.

This is the rite of passage for all those scattered to the furthest reaches of the galaxy, for all those who came back, for all those who might still be finding their way back.

But it is mostly for Set.

Set Tane: the first of a new era.

_May the Force be with him always._

\----------

It is a wonderful kind of freedom to be able to work on his own. But independence will not last long for Set.

He has a promise to keep. Pres is almost of an age to be trained. Another few years and he’ll be following at Set’s heels ( _not that he doesn’t already_ ).

Set doesn’t begrudge his promise in the least, but he’ll have to savor this while it lasts.

The fighter comes out of hyperspace and disengages from the hyperdrive booster ring. Its nose dips down and the moon comes into view. Keriba VI’s swamps aren’t Set’s idea of an ideal vacation spot, but he’s not here for pleasure.

Set pays close attention to the scanners before landing, he’s heard Luke’s ( _no longer master, his insistence_ ) stories about landing on Dagobah one too many times not to.

Out of nowhere the sensors go haywire. Red warning lights flash rapidly and a high-pitched alert echoes in his ear.

Multiple contacts.

Ships and lots of them, all of different size anclass. The tell-tale signs of a pirate fleet.

His other task forgotten, Set silences the alarm and switches the starfighter into stealth mode.

What are they doing here? How did they put together a fleet that big? And so far into the mid rim? How soon until they start wrecking havoc on either Republic or Separatist territories?

He takes back an approximate head and gun count back to the Temple.

This could very well be the Order’s next big trial.

**Author's Note:**

> See author bio for discussion on this 'verse.


End file.
